Why wear shin guards?

It’s not uncommon, and it’s becoming more common, to see major league hitters with a shin on their front or front leg, but do you really know why they do this?

Let’s delete an answer immediately. It has nothing to do with the pitcher hitting you with a pitched ball, although it is always a possibility, but that does result in a free pass to first base. That rarely hurts.

Since we’re on the topic, let’s delete answer two. Shin guards aren’t worn to look cool, but rather as a viable piece of safety gear. The player with a shin is most likely one of the best hitters on the team, which explains the increased risk of shin and / or ankle injury. Confused?

There are many aspects of hitting that a good hitter must master to become a great hitter and some of these variables are different for each player. If they weren’t different, all players would have identical batting positions and swings, which we know is not the case.

However, there are some basics that apply to all hitters and mastering them can get you hitting more foul balls than the normal hitter.

The type of swing and where the ball is hit are the main culprits in producing shin-breaking foul ball tips. There are two lines of thought and I won’t debate which ones, if any of them are completely correct, but the end results are usually the same.

Hitters are taught to hit the ball in front of them and swing down, not at an ax angle, but with a slight downward arc toward the swing. This angle of approach results in the ball being struck from the center of the ball upward and upward. When the bat hits the ball in the upper upper area, it creates a back spin, which if the ball is not hit solid enough to produce a forward motion, it will create a downward motion.

Downward, such as off the shin, ankle, or foot. This same principle applies to a swing in which a slight top cut is taught. The bat hits the ball over the top as it falls or curves downward, creating a kickback effect and pain in the shin or foot.

These two types of swing are designed to produce different results, which are common to great hitters. The down swing results in more grooves and line drives, a Tony Gwynn-type hitter, high batting and base percentages. The upper swing produces higher, deep hitting balls and home run power, with a medium or lower batting average, but home runs and RBIs above normal. This is why most professional ball players who wear shin guards tend to be one of the best hitters on the team.

I recommend to any player approaching high school who experiences more than one shin, foot, or ankle fault in a season, including batting practice or scrimmages, to seriously consider wearing a shin.

First, it is like any other piece of new equipment, it takes a certain amount of time to get used to and the sooner the better. Second, if they continue on their current path, they are well on their way to developing a swing that will only produce more foul points as they improve.

Third, the lack of spikes on the shin, ankle, or foot hurts like crazy. If you’re like me, you don’t like pain very much, so try to avoid it if possible.